Thanksgiving Side Dish Power Rankings

The typical Thanksgiving dinner in the United States always has a turkey as the star of the show. But while the main character is important, the side characters are the ones that take the show to the next level.

The supporting cast is almost always the same at any dinner table around the country - Mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce. Occasionally, there are some stranger entries (though many would consider them classics), such as the green bean casserole or the sweet potato casserole.

Let’s discuss these dishes, and talk about which Thanksgiving sides should be on your table this year.

Last Place - The Green Bean Casserole

In 1955, Dorcas Reilly from the Campbell Soup Company created a recipe using a combination of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, french fried onions, and green beans (typically of the canned variety). It’s been described as “iconic” and is one of the most common Thanksgiving side dishes. In many ways, the dish was always bound to be a Thanksgiving favorite. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and above all, it’s so easy, and can be created using a bunch of cans from your pantry. Sadly, what the dish makes up for in convenience, it loses in quality.

I’ve heard of iterations of the dish that are made from fresh green beans, an addition that vastly improves taste and quality. At face value though, the green bean casserole is one of the most unhealthy items on the Thanksgiving table and doesn’t bring enough flavor to justify itself. The flavors of mushroom and green bean are intense, and the french fried onions just barely rescue the texture of the canned green beans.

At the end of the day, I recognize the place that the green bean casserole holds in American culture - but to me, if I had to drop any dish from the holiday menu, it would be this one 100 out of 100 times.

4th Place - The Sweet Potato Casserole

In life, it is always important to acknowledge your own biases and not let them get in the way of your personal or professional life. We all have a wide range of biases, dealing with everything from people to food. Here is one of mine: I absolutely despise sweet potatoes. Genuinely, I think they are awful. I’ve tried them roasted, in french fry form, in a casserole, and even baked, yet I cannot seem to find a single form that I will eat willingly.

But in order to finish this review, I must put my anti-sweet potato bias aside, as much as I want to call this dish vile - I acknowledge that people like this dish, and in some ways, I understand why. The sweet potato casserole typically combines sweet potato with roasted marshmallows, butter, brown sugar, and often pecans. It’s easy to make in bulk, and is generally well liked, just not by me. Its sweet topping is also a nice contrast from the often savory selection of Thanksgiving sides, and does a good job to diversity the meal.

3rd Place - Apple Pie (or Pumpkin, or Pecan…)

Apple pie is an American classic, Thanksgiving or not. Certainly one of, if not the most common Thanksgiving dessert, apple pie is a nice, easy, tasty way to round off a big dinner. Alternatively, pumpkin pie or another pie variety can be substituted based on what your guests’ prefer.

Some might see it as the “easy” choice (you can bake it yourself or buy a pie big enough to feed 12 people at your local wholesaler superstore for less than $15), but nowhere else on this list will you find an easier choice that is so universally adored. Plus, if you add one scoop of vanilla ice cream, you’re in a whole new league.

2nd Place - Macaroni and Cheese

Mac and cheese as a Thanksgiving side is somewhat regional, and more common in some American subcultures than others. While many won’t see it as part of the typical Thanksgiving lineup, I would make the argument that not only should it be, it easily beats nearly every “typical” side that you can think of.

It checks all the boxes - It’s easy to make in bulk, it’s cost-effective, it’s so, so good. Though it doesn’t seem like it would have much synergy with its fellow Thanksgiving sides such as the mashed potatoes and various casseroles, it does, and does well. There’s also a fair amount of variability, should you want to trade some of the flavor for ease. Accidentally messed up that recipe you found online? Use boxed mac and cheese. You forgot to buy the butter to make the boxed mac and cheese? Drive down to the local wholesale superstore and buy a ready-to-go tin that can go right in the oven. You decide that you want to go above and beyond? Truffle, buffalo chicken, even lobster have been used to take mac and cheese to the next level. But even without those, mac and cheese is simply top-tier.

1st Place - Stuffing

Stuffing is simply the best Thanksgiving side dish, and there is no room for debate on this topic. I’m actually not even sure that there’s anybody out there that contests this.

Stuffing, a mixture of bread, broth, onions, and butter, sounds like it would be the worst combination of all time. Somehow, the bread absorbs the moisture from the broth and butter to become a texture that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen replicated. The bread also absorbs and retains all of the best flavors from all of its ingredients.

What separates stuffing from the rest of this list is not only the taste and the texture but instead the sense that stuffing is so iconic and specific to Thanksgiving that it is the de-facto Thanksgiving hallmark. It is the quintessential side dish for this holiday. It’s not necessarily easy to make, but it can be made in bulk and is always a crowd pleaser.

Do you have any questions or suggestions? Or simply want to attack me for my views on your favorite casserole? Feel free to email be below!